Knight In Black Leather Gail Dayton (classic books for 12 year olds .TXT) 📖

him away, but he merely tightened his hold. If she didn't have to fight against the part of herself that reveled in his touch, she might have been able to escape.

"Come on, Marilyn. What can it hurt?" He turned his face into her, nuzzling her stomach, his breath coming warm through the knit of her sweater, softening her resistance.

His leg cast bumped against the cabinet and Marilyn found strength to break free. She retreated back to the dining table. "You," she said. "It could hurt you. Have you forgotten your broken bones?"

"I promise I wouldn't feel a thing." His smile was wicked as he came toward her again.

"It would hurt me," she said, then.

That stopped him. "How?" He looked down at his casts. "I'd be careful. You'd have to be on top, obviously, but I'd keep my arm back. The cast wouldn't touch you."

She shook her head, lower lip caught between her teeth. "That's not what I'm talking about." How could she explain it to him when she wasn't entirely sure she understood it herself?

He frowned. "Then what--?" He watched her a long while as she chewed on her lip.

After a minute or two, he looked away and started rocking the wheelchair slightly with his hands on the wheels, as if he wanted to move it, to come closer, but couldn't quite work up the intent.

"I don't think that's a problem, Marilyn," he said then, lifting his eyes to watch her. "Yeah, I know you're a forever kind of girl-- I mean, you fell in love with your husband when you were still in high school. But we both know I'm not a forever kind of guy. I'm not the kind of guy girls like you--"

"I'm not a girl, Eli," Marilyn broke in, needing him to see everything that stood between them.

"No, you're all woman. Even more reason. 'Cause I'm not the kind of guy women like you fall for. I'm strictly short-term, completely resistible. I know it. You know it. So where's the problem?"

He rolled the chair a few inches closer. "It's just a walk on the wild side. What's wrong with that?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I mean--I don't know if I can. I'm--" She took a deep breath. She didn't know if she had courage to say it out loud. But this was the new Marilyn. Even if she was as big a coward as the old one. "I'm afraid," she said, to prove she wasn't.

Eli's head jerked back, as if her words had been a physical blow. Then he nodded. "Okay. I get that."

He fell silent, apparently thinking, a few more minutes before speaking again. "This is the deal, Marilyn. My side of it--what I want from you in exchange for what I promised this morning. I want you to think about it, really think about trying this thing out with me. Just for a while. However long it lasts."

His gaze met hers and held it. "I won't push, now you know I'm serious about what I want from you, as long as you take it seriously. Take me seriously. You do, don't you?"

He watched her, so intent it made her quivery all over again, waiting until she nodded. "Yes," she said. "I know you're serious."

"Okay then." He backed away. "So, you think about it--seriously--and decide what you want."

For the next several days Marilyn tiptoed around Eli. She would have liked to think they tiptoed around each other, but it wouldn't have been true. Eli stomped around in figurative steel-toed boots, given that he was barefoot in a wheelchair the vast majority of the time. He knew what he wanted, crazy as it seemed, and made no secret of it.

Marilyn, on the other hand, didn't have a clue. Or maybe she did know exactly what she wanted and it scared the pee out of her. And she didn't know what to do about any of it.

Then her sister called. She hadn't heard from either one of them since Christmas.

"Kate, hi. What's up?" Marilyn didn't ask whether Mom had put her up to the call. She knew the answer.

"Mom's birthday. She's seventy next week and Sue and I want to have a birthday party for her."

"Great. What can I do to help?"

"Not a thing." Which meant that the party was all Kate's idea, all Kate's plan. Sue taught high school English and didn't have time to blink this time of year, much less plan a party.

Kate went on. "Just show up over at Mom's Saturday night. Sevenish. Bring your friend."

"My...friend? Which friend?"

"The--um-- Don't you have someone--um--" Kate faltered, apparently unable to accuse Marilyn of living in sin, even in a roundabout fashion.

"You mean Eli? He's staying with me for a few weeks."

"Yes. Yes--um--Eli. Bring Eli."

"What about a present?" Marilyn decided to quit torturing Kate.

"You know Mom. She says she doesn't need presents."

Marilyn laughed. "And then she gets insulted if you don't bring one."

Kate laughed too. Sometimes she could be almost human, when she wasn't trying to out-Martha Ms. Stewart. "You're right. Better bring a present."

"All right then, Katie. I'll be there. I'll even bring Eli, if I can talk him into coming. You be sure to tell me if you need me to do something, okay? I mean it."

"Okay, okay. I'll call you."

When she hung up, Marilyn knew she wouldn't hear a peep. Kate had control issues.

"I heard my name," Eli said, bringing himself closer in his chair. "What was that about?"

Marilyn sat down at the table. Sitting kept him at a slightly safer distance. Though she was pretty sure no distance was exactly safe. "Mom's having a birthday party. You're invited."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I don't feel like being the number one exhibit in your mom's private freak show."

"I don't blame you."

Eli backed toward the living area, then returned. "Why'd she invite me? Your mom hates me."

"She's also about to die of curiosity. I guess inviting you to the party is easier for her to do than calling and telling me to bring